Dame Maura Regan DBE, DL

Maura is the architect of Carmel Education Trust, now known as Bishop Hogarth Catholic Education Trust, where she led the transformation of Carmel College into the lead school of the trust and became founding CEO in 2011.

Bishop Hogarth Catholic Education Trust is now a leading national organisation, comprising 35 primary and secondary schools.

As an NLE, Maura has supported schools from all phases across the Northeast and nationally and has deep experience of leadership development. She has pro-actively supported NETSP (Northeast Teaching Schools Partnership) in the delivery of NPQH, NPQSL and NPQML and the national programme, ‘Women into Headship’. Marua has delivered on a wide range of DfE mentoring programmes supporting the leadership development of CEOs and Headteachers and is a member of the DfE MAT CEO Expert Advisory group, developing a programme for newly appointed and aspiring CEOs. Maura also supports the performance management of several CEOs at the request of their Directors/Trustees.

Maura contributes to the wider trust system via several roles. She is a member of the National Recruitment and Retention Strategy group and served on the Opportunity Northeast One Vision Strategic Board until its completion in 2022. She is an elected member of the Regional Schools Commissioners Advisory Board North and is a Trustee of Schools Northeast, an organisation that works with and represents over 1,500 schools. Maura is also a Director of several trust boards including St Joseph’s Multi Academy Trust Liverpool, a pilot established by the DfE to support RI schools to move to Ofsted rated good or better, and the London-based Gaudete Trust.

Maura was awarded an OBE in 2015 and made a Dame Commander (DBE) in 2021 for services to education.

As a mentor Maura offers particular expertise in developing:

• a leadership style that brings strength and depth to a trust while also being able to show resilience when navigating the many pitfalls that a CEO can encounter.
• a values-driven vision and how to embed this across a trust
• a strong organisation through establishing and promoting effective teams including finance, governance and HR
• a strong school improvement strategy and school improvement team
• an effective recruitment and retention strategy that supports all staff
• a strategy to raise the profile of the trust

Maura also provides specific support for leaders of trusts with a religious character.